Migrating from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365. Without losing a thing.

Originally published 30 October 2023. Fully updated for 2026.

Moving businesses onto Microsoft 365 is one of the most common projects we run. Clients come to us from Google Workspace (still widely known as G Suite or GSuite), on-premises Exchange, and older IMAP and POP email services. The goal is always the same: a smooth transition from start to finish with no unexpected downtime, which comes down to precise planning rather than luck.

This guide covers why businesses make the switch, how Google services map to Microsoft 365, and the key factors we check on every migration.

Why migrate? It's more than just email

Consolidation of services

A single Microsoft 365 Business Standard or Business Premium licence brings together email, the Office desktop apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), Teams, OneDrive, SharePoint and, on Business Premium, security and device management tools such as Microsoft Defender for Business and Intune. These tools are connected, so a file shared in Teams, edited in Word and discussed in Outlook is the same file with one set of permissions.

The desktop apps your clients already use

Word, Excel and PowerPoint remain the standard in many industries, especially where documents are exchanged with clients, government, lawyers, accountants or financiers. Working natively in those formats avoids the conversion quirks that come with round-tripping between Google Docs and Office files.

Centralised identity and management

Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory) sits at the centre of Microsoft 365. Access is tied to individual identities and groups, which makes it straightforward to build team structures, apply Conditional Access policies, enforce MFA and manage Windows and mobile devices from one place. For businesses working towards the Essential Eight, that consolidated control is a significant advantage.

AI with Microsoft 365 Copilot

Microsoft has built AI throughout the suite. Copilot Chat is available to Microsoft 365 business users, and a Microsoft 365 Copilot licence adds an assistant inside Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Teams that can draft, summarise and analyse using the content each user already has permission to see. Google has its own equivalent in Gemini, so AI alone isn't a reason to move, but if you're standardising on Microsoft apps, Copilot works best when your data lives in Microsoft 365 too.

What maps to what

Microsoft provides native tooling for much of this: Exchange Online can migrate Gmail, calendars and contacts, and Migration Manager can move My Drive and shared drive content to OneDrive and SharePoint. Third-party tools fill gaps for larger or more complex environments. The tool matters less than the planning around it. If you're unsure where Drive content should land, our explainer on SharePoint vs OneDrive sets out the rule we use.

Key factors during migration

Email folders and labels

Everyone organises email differently, and many people rely on a lifetime of labels. Gmail labels become Outlook folders, but a message with several labels can appear in several folders. We check the mapping so people's organisational systems remain intact after the move.

Big mailboxes and large attachments

Older accounts accumulate a lot of data, and modern attachments are heavy: photos, plans, drawings and video. Some migration methods struggle with oversized items and quietly skip them. We include a large-item check in our migration checklist and reconcile item counts before and after, so critical documents aren't left behind.

User permissions and sharing

Moving from Google Workspace requires precise realignment of permissions. Drive sharing, shared drive membership, calendar delegation and shared mailboxes all need mapping to Microsoft 365 identities. It's also the right moment to tidy up: files shared with "anyone with the link" years ago don't need to carry that exposure into the new environment.

Things that don't migrate cleanly

• Google Docs features such as some comments, suggestions and version history may not carry across in full once converted to Office formats.
• Drive shortcuts and very long file paths can break or exceed SharePoint path limits.
• Apps Script automations and third-party add-ons connected to Google accounts need to be identified and rebuilt.
• "Sign in with Google" logins to other SaaS apps need moving to Microsoft sign-in or a new password before Google accounts are closed.

How a well-run migration flows

1. Discovery. Inventory users, mailbox and Drive sizes, shared drives, groups, aliases, third-party integrations and devices.
2. Tenant preparation. Set up Microsoft 365 licensing, verify your domain, and put a security baseline in place first: MFA, Conditional Access, email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and backup.
3. Pilot. Migrate a small group, confirm mail, calendars and files look right, and refine the plan.
4. Pre-stage. Copy the bulk of mail and files in the background while staff keep working in Google.
5. Cutover. Switch the MX records, run a final delta sync, and set up Outlook, Teams and OneDrive on every device.
6. Hypercare. Be on hand for the first days of questions, with short training on Teams, sharing and where files now live.
7. Decommission. Once everything is verified, take a final export, then close Google accounts.

Once you're in Microsoft 365, protect the data independently with cloud-to-cloud backup, lock down email with DMARC & phishing protection, and consider moving your phones across too with Teams Calling. For a real-world example of a cloud move, see our Cora case study.

Still deciding whether to switch at all? Read our side-by-side comparison of Microsoft 365 vs Google Workspace.